Driving attachment for cane mills



Jan. 21, 1930. w. L. BEALL 35 I DRIVING ATTACHMENT FOR QANE MILLS Filed July 11. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 z; f za Jan. 21, 1930. w. L. BEAL-L DRIVING ATTACHMENT FOR CA N HILLS 2 SheetsaSheet 2 Filed July 11. 1927 \W QM aw ww KN Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNETEF) STATES PATENT OFFHIE WILLIAM L. BEALL, OF GHATTANOOGA, TENNEESEE, ASSIGNOR T INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEH/V JERSEY DRIVING ATTACHMENT FOR CANE MILLS Application filed July 11, 1927. Serial No. 204,679.

This invention is in the art of juice extracting mills and relates specifically to a unit driving attachment for cane mills.

Cane mills at the present time are quite well standardized in construction. They embody the usual three roller structure for crushing the cane to extract the juice therefrom. These rollers are carried on vertical shafts Within a housing, said shafts being geared together and driven from the main roller shaft either by pulley belt power or by animal power. Such driving arrangements form an integral part of the machine and have not been designed for interchangeability from animal to power drive or vice versa. It would be a very desirable forward step in the art to provide a unit power drive attachment for the many animal power cane mills now in use, which could be easily and quickly substituted for the animal drive mechanism without in any way interfering with the cane mill structure proper.

With these general thoughts in mind, the objects of this invention are to provide an improved power driving mechanism for a cane mill, or the like; to provide such structure in the nature of a removable unit which may be easily and quickly substituted for the usual animal power driving mechanism; and, lastly, generally to improve and enhance the efficient operation of cane mills.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in this art as the disclosure progresses.

Briefly, these very desirable objects are achieved in combination with the usual three roller cane mill in which the rollers are enclosed in a housing having a head, of a quickly attachable and detachable frame for the head, including a novel arrangement of driving parts for turning the main crushing roller, said driving parts being designed for operation by a pulley and belt.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings illustrating one embodiment which this invention may assume in practice:

Figure 1 is a general, vertical, elevational view of a cane mill embodying the improved power drive attachment;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional end view along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, as viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a part of the driving mechanism;

Figure 1 is a vertical, central sectional view of the driving attachment;

Figure 5 is a detail View, partly in section, as seen along the line 5--5 of Figure 3, in

he direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a plan, sectional view of the cane mill head as seen along the line 6--6 of Figure 1, viewed in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 7 is a vertical view, partly in section, of the adjusting means, as seen along the line 7 -7 of Figure 1 in the direction of the arrows.

The improved cane mill of this invention embodies a conventional base 10 and housing 11 thereon, closed at its top by a cover or head 12. Inside the housing is the usual vertically disposed main crushing roller 13 carried on a drive shaft 1 1 projecting upwardly a substantial distance through the head and having its free end tapered and squared, as shown at 15. The head 12 has formed therewith a bearing boX 16 for journaling this shaft 14:, as can be readily seen. Arranged on the head in triangular relationship are two more such bearing boxes 17 and 18, respectively (see Figure 6), which receive shafts (not shown) each of which carries a roller inside the body 11 similar to'the main roller 13, one of said rollers being visible in Figure 1 at 19. Greater detail 011 this roller arrangement is unnecessary, as this structure is standard. Inside the housing 11, the main shaft 1% drives a gear 20 with the main roller 13. Each of the other two shafts and supple mentary rollers is similarly provided with such a gear, one being shown at 21, whereby the second and third rollers derive their rotation from the first, or main roller, as all of these gears intermesh for that purpose, as is usual in these machines. In driving these rollers, two methods are utilized. One is the use of gear arrangements operable by belt and pulley, usually from a gas engine, for driving the main shaft 14. The other method comprehends the use of a beam connected to this main shaft, said beam being pulled by animal power to turn the shaft.

Thus, these cane mills are either animal power mills or belt power mills; and they are not interchangeably adapted for either form of power. By means of the improved structure of this invention now to be described, it is possible to convert the animal power mill to a belt power mill.

Bolted to the housing head at one end thereof, as seen in Figures 1, 2 and 6, is an arch or bridge member 22. An integral crosshead frame casting 23 is provided with a depending flange 24 at one end adapted to be positioned as best shown in Figure 6, between the two journal boxes 17 and 18, while at its other end this crosshead is secured by bolts 25 centrally to the arch piece 22. The end of the crosshead frame adjacent the flange 24 is provided with an apertured extension 26 which carries a hook bolt 27 designed for detachable connection to the body 11 or under the head 12 of the cane mill in any approved manner, as indicated in Figure 1.

he crosshead includes a central sleeve part 27, and at its ends is formed into upstanding arms 28 which receive bearings 29 for journaling a transverse shaft 30, as shown. At its left end, as seen in Figure 1, this shaft carries, inwardly of its bearing 29, a bevel pinion 31, while at its projected outer end beyond said bearing, it carries a relatively large spur gear The gear 32 meshes with a relatively small spur pinion 33 on a transverse stub shaft 34 arranged in a bearing sleeve 35 formed as a part of the crosshead casting below the outer end of the shaft 30. The laterally projected end of the stub shaft 34 carries a large driving pulley 36.

The bevel pinion 31 meshes with and drives a large bevel gear 37 having a hub portion 38 rota-tably and loosely fitting inside the sleev portion 27 of the crosshead frame casting, as best shown in Figure 4. A novel driving connection between the gear 37 and the main roller drive shaft 14 is provided and will next be described.

It will be remembered that the upper end 15 of this drive shaft 14 is squared. In addition this end is tapered, as shown in Figure 4. Driven down over this square tapered end is a square tapered collar 39 which receives the squared opening of a hub part 40 of a driving spider member 41 embodying a plurality of arms 42 which radiate outwardly and are each formed at their ends with depending, outwardly flared portions 43. These portions thus form sockets adapted to engage the spokes 44 of the driving gear 37, as best shown in Figures 3 and 5. Extending oppositely from each arm 42 of the spider member, adjacent the upper edge of the arms, are fins 45 adapted to fit over the upper side of the spokes 44 of the gear The operation of this structure will later be described.

Another important feature is the adj ustable roller guide for the eircun'iferential under edge of the driving gear 37. As best shown in Figures 4 and 7, the crosshead casting 23 below the pinion 31 is formed with a socket 46 which loosely receives a block 47 having at two opposite ends upstanding cars 48 which receive an integral pin 49 and roller 50, in a manner to permit the roller to roll freely between said ears 48. The roller supports the outer edge of the large drive gear 37, as shown.

As shown best in Figure 7, the casting 23 carries two spaced bolts 51 which engage the under side of the block 47, adjustably to support the same. Nuts 52 lock the bolts in the casting as shown, and exterior nuts 53 function to insure retention of the bolts 51 in adjusted position. the details of construction, the operation of the improved driving unit for the cane mill will next be set forth.

In use the driving gearing and crosshead 23 constitute a unitary attachment which can easily be attached to or be detached from the cover or head of a cane mill by means of the bolts 25 and the hook bolt 27. It is to be noted that the flange 24 will rest on the cane mill cover 12 and, as it snugly fits between the two journal boxes 17 and 18, will prevent lateral displacement of the crosshead driving unit. This unit attachment fits down over the projected main driving shaft 14 of the mill. By means of the collar 39 fitted onto the squared end of said main drive shaft, the hub 40 of the spider 41 is put in place. Any prime mover, such as a gas engine, will be belted to the pulley 36 whereby to drive the stub shaft 34, gear 33, gear 32, and transverse shaft30. This shaft turns thepinion 31 which in turn drives the large bevel gear 37, loosely mounted in the sleeve 27 of the main casting 23. As the large gear 37 starts to turn, its

spokes 44 adjacent the spider arms 42, pick up said spider arms by snugly fitting their sockets formed by the portions 43, as seen in Figure 5, while the fins 45 engage over the top side of the spokes 44. Thus, the spokes of the gear 37 interfit the arms of the spider,

causing the spider to turn with the gear, as will be obvious. Turning of the spider, of course, turns the main shaft 14 to drive the main roller of the cane mill. The main roller 13 drives the remaining two rollers and thus Havin thus described the mill is operated. The roller guide 50 forms a track upon which the periphery of the large gear 37 rides, without much friction. The guide prevents wobbling of the gear and keeps it in close mesh with the bevel gear 31, as can be seen. By means of the bolts 51', the roller guide may be adjusted to take up wear and at all times properly maintain the correct relationship between the gears 37 and 31.

If it is desired to remove the belt power driving attachment from the mill, it is merely necessary to loosen the bolts 25 and hook bolt 27, whereupon the entire driving attachment may be removed as a unit, leaving the cane mill unaltered and adapted for operation by an animal power driving attachment.

It is the intention to cover all such changes and modifications of the herein disclosed embodiment as do not materially depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as is in dicated in the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

1. The combination with a mill having a body and a cover therefor, rollers in the body including a shaft projected through the cover, an arch piece carried on the cover, of a unitary power driven attachment mounted on said arch piece and body, said attachment in cluding driving connections for the shaft, and releasable means for permitting bodily removal of said attachment as a unit from the shaft, arch piece, and cover.

2. The combination with a mill having a body and a cover therefor, rollers in the body including a shaft projected through the cover, an arch piece on the cover, of a unitary power driven attachment including driving connections for the driving shaft, means for detachably connecting one end of the attachment to said arch piece, and a hook bolt carried by the other end of said attachment adapted for detachable connection to the body of the mill.

3. The combination with a mill having a body, a cover therefor, rollers in the body including a drive shaft projecting through the cover, of a driving means for said shaft, said means comprising a frame mounted on the cover, said frame fitting over the shaft,

a gear loosely carried on the frame, means on the shaft adapted to be driven by the gear to drive the shaft, and power driven connections for driving the gear.

4. The combination with a mill having a body, a cover therefor, rollers in the body including a drive shaft projecting through the cover, of a driving means for said shaft, said means comprising a frame mounted on the cover, said frame including a sleeve portion surrounding the shaft, a gear having spokes and a hub turnably mounted in the frame sleeve portion, means secured to the shaft to be engaged by the spokes of the gear to drive the shaft, and power driven connections for driving the gear.

5. The combination with a mill having a body, a cover therefor, rollers in the body including a drive shaft projecting through the cover, of a driving means for said shaft, said means comprising a frame mounted on the cover, said frame including a sleeve portion surrounding the shaft, a gear having spokes and a hub turnably mounted in the frame sleeve portion, a member including radial arms provided with sockets and fins, said member being fixed to the shaft, and means for driving the gear whereby its spokes engage between the sockets and fins of the radial arms to drive the shaft.

6. The combination with a mill having a body, a cover therefor, rollers in the body including a drive shaft projecting through the cover, of a driving means for said shaft, said means comprising a frame mounted on the cover, said frame fitting over the shaft and embodying at each end an arm extension, a cross shaft journaled in said arm extensions, a gear on the cross shaft, a gear loosely rotatable in the frame and meshing with the gear on the cross shaft, means on the drive shaft adapted to be driven by the loose gear, and means for driving the cross shaft.

7. In a cane mill, the combination of a lJOC y, rollers therein including a drive shaft, a frame on the body carrying a loose gear, means for driving said loose gear, a spider fast on the drive shaft adapted to be driven by the loose gear, and a guide roller on the frame supporting the under side of the loose gear.

8. In a cane mill, the combination of a body, rollers therein including a drive shaft, a frame on the body carrying a loose bevel gear, a bevel pinion for driving the same, means fast on the drive shaft adapted to be driven by the loose bevel gear, a roller guide on the frame for supporting the loose bevel gear adjacent its periphery and for maintaining said loose gear in mesh with the bevel pinion, and means for adjusting said roller guide.

9. The combination with a cane mill having a body and a cover including an arch piece and two spaced journal boxes, of a driving attachment for the cane mill comprising a frame adapted for attachment to the arch piece, and a flange on the frame adapted for positioning on said cover between the two journal boxes.

10. A unitary driving attachment for cane mills having a body, rollers, a cover, and a roller shaft projected through the cover, said attachment comprising a frame adapted removably to be mounted on the cover, the frame carrying a loose gear, means adapted to be fixed to the shaft, said means being driven by the loose gear, and means included in the attachment for driving the loose gear.

11. A unitary driving attachment for cane mills having a body, rollers, a cover, and a roller shaft projected through the cover, said attachment comprising a frame adapted removably to be mounted on the cover, the frame loosely carrying a gear, means operable by said gear for driving the shaft, means including a second gear in mesh with the first gear and carried by the frame for driving, said first gear, and a roller guide support on the frame for the first gear.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

\VILLIAM L. BEALL. 

